A Mark of You and Me

~ A Mark of You and Me ~

~ By SuishouTenshi ~

Once upon a time in a land far, far away, there existed a kingdom named Gryffindor. Generation after generation, the rulers of this kingdom, the Potters, dutifully protected their citizens and their realm against invaders, natural disasters, and -- as some would say -- a mysterious force that rested deep within its bordering forest.

The people of Gryffindor lived their days happily. Their main staple consisted of vegetables and wheat grown within its walls, and from time to time, courageous hunters would brave the unknown of the Forbidden Forest in search of live game. Most of them, however, never returned.

Human scholars from all over the world had attempted to solve the mysteries of the forest, but none was so daring as to enter the forest themselves. Over time, skilled hunters who had faced the darkness of the foliage and came out alive marked a safe trail. One such hunter had proclaimed that his friend who had been walking a few steps ahead of him had suddenly disappeared while they were exploring. In his panicked state, all he could do was to place a large moss-covered rock near the tip of his boots before running back toward the safe haven of Gryffindor's walls.

From then on, Gryffindor hunters frequently visited the Forbidden Forest to hunt prey, but all knew better than to step beyond the infamous "marked rock". The forest tolerated such visits as long as its visitors respected its inner boundaries. Those who defied the forest's wishes and stepped beyond the rock had all vanished without a trace.

***

Grey eyes stared unblinkingly over the high tops of the trees, searching endlessly for a fairytale kingdom full of beings with round-tipped ears and hair as black as the night sky, a land where the people's skin didn't glow like the moon and whose eyes weren't colored like poisonous mercury.

Slender fingers reach out to touch the cool glass, trailing a path that the owner of such hands had only recently compiled. After years of sneaking out at night, of bribing travelers for maps and information, Draco Malfoy had finally discovered the quickest and safest route out of the Elven kingdom. Tonight he would make his first journey into human territory. He would not go far, of course, just enough to get a glimpse of humans and come back before dawn so his parents wouldn't find out about his nightly ventures.

Draco would not have succumbed to such extreme measures had his parents been more lenient. Compared to the children of other high-class families, Draco faced a lot more restrictions. As a child, he had never stepped out of the gates of Malfoy Manor. While other children were allowed to go beyond the magical barrier which separated the Elven world from the human world with adult supervision, Draco was constantly confined, a prisoner within his own home.

It was by accident that on his eleventh birthday, Draco found an illustrated book in his father's library with detailed descriptions of the human world, a world that he had been fascinated with ever since. For the last eight years, he spent all of his energy and effort to find a way into that world. He wanted to meet someone whose hair wasn't as white-blond or as long as his, whose eyes didn't glow cold silver, who didn't look so deathly pale and fragile.

Tonight was the night for his dreams to come true. He had overheard his father telling his mother that a group of scribes had arranged for a midnight trip beyond the barrier so they could observe the stars from the humans' point of view. Draco's father was responsible for distributing talismans which allowed the wearers to pass through the barrier twice without harm. Draco had sneaked into his father's office earlier and stole one of the talismans that were meant for the scribes.

The crimson sun slowly marked its way down toward the horizon. Draco made his way out through the servants' quarters carrying nothing but the talisman. His Elven eyes were able to see quite well in the dark, and his pointy ears would alert him of any peculiar presence. He had followed this path many times in the past, but tonight he would go the furthest.

Beyond the Parkinson farm, pass the stream, enter a small enclosure of trees, take ten steps toward the right, make a left, run straight ahead and turn right again when you come across a lily pond.... Draco had long memorized these directions. His waist-length blond tresses fanned out behind him as he ran, pure adrenaline filling his veins, his usually pale cheeks were flushed with colors of excitement. Uncaring of who might hear, Draco let loose a loud whoop of exhilaration. Blue jays sprang from their nests, and Draco ran faster and faster, laughing harder than he has ever had in his entire life.

The talisman around his neck hummed as Draco neared the magical barrier. The boundary was said to be set by the Ancient Ones after conflict with the humans. Elves were enclosed within their safe community forever, and humans would never be able to see this milky white wall, their bodies would dissolve into miniscule particles upon contact. Many ignorant humans had died this way. Elves would not be hurt by this barrier, but they needed the talisman to cross it successfully.

The iridescent wall twisted and opened up, just enough for Draco to go through. His heart pounded painfully against his chest. Not used to such exercises, Draco sat down on a moss-covered rock and tried to catch his breath before moving again.

Onyx irises scanned the surroundings. Though separated from the Elven realm by only one thin barrier, Draco could already note the obvious differences. On the other side of the flickering wall, the sky glowed bluish-silver, even during the night time. Here, the stars were clearly visible, sparkling mischievously against the black backdrop. Whereas the Elven realm had flowers growing from every corner, all Draco could see here was grass, trees, and more grass.

It was a moonless night, perfect for stargazing. Draco looked around a bit more, barely able to contain his excitement. His pupils enlarged to let in more light, and he noted with suppressed glee that there was a rabbit's nest below a menacing-looking tree. Red eyes as round as marbles blinked back at Draco, its pink nose twitched before it ran away. Chuckling, Draco stood up and followed the animal, not to hunt it, but merely curious to find its destination.

The animal's small feet propelled forth in a relaxing pace, finally carrying itself and Draco into a small clearing with a very shallow lake. The rabbit took its time to munch on the grass near the water, and Draco watched on amusedly as it ate.

The rabbit didn't spare him a second glance before going back the way it just came from. Laughing quietly to himself, Draco followed it back. He would love to go off on his own and visit a human village, but he feared that he would not be able to find his way back to the barrier efficiently. He'd take tonight to explore around a bit more before leaving the forest.

The walk back was longer than he remembered. Draco was content to feel his bare feet being pricked by the harsh undergrowth. The grass back home was always soft. So at bliss was he that he didn't pick up on the foreign resonance until it was too late.

A twig cracked a few trees away. Draco's eyes widened in fear as he quickly scaled a sturdy tree. Now hidden by its verdant leaves, Draco calmed his heartbeat as best as he could and peeked around a thick branch. He found to his delightful surprise a human standing below his feet, looking around the area with a clearly confused expression.

Draco would've gasped if he hadn't been more careful. This human looked just like the pictures in his father's book! There was nothing Elven about the boy, that's for sure. He looked to be about Draco's age, a year or two older at the most. His hair was extremely short, cropped just below his earlobes. His messy locks were colored ink-black, fading almost completely into the darkness of his surroundings.

The human boy twisted his head around a few more times before looking up. Draco shifted slightly to hide himself better, and prayed to the Ancient Ones that his Elven glow would not reveal his position. As the human boy searched the tree branches, Draco found himself mesmerized by his intense gaze, so startling green that Draco found it hard to look elsewhere.

The book was wrong. Humans could have glowing eyes too.

Draco smiled gently at the boy's confused look. He was so tempted to jump down and embrace the human as a gesture of friendship. He longed to speak with him in the humans' native tongue, tell him the wonders of the Elven world, and then hear him describe all that was magical about the human race.

Draco also noted with a twinge of frivolity that the human boy was very beautiful, much more attractive than most of the Elves Draco had come across. Smooth skin covered high cheek bones; blood flushed his face and lips, making him look very healthy. A set of round spectacles were set above his high nose, obscuring the already glistening jade eyes. Draco wondered how much more lovely those eyes would be without the frames.

The boy carried a long bow and a quiver full of arrows on his back. His tight leather breeches and knee-high boots made the barefooted Draco look much underdressed. He wore a very thin and simple black blouse, loose around the arms but tight at the wrists. Draco surveyed his white toga and blushed. It wouldn't do to greet this stranger in such abysmal attire.

Before Draco could contemplate his current state of dress any further, another set of footsteps approached the human boy. Of course, it would make no sense for anyone to hunt in such a dark forest in the dead of the night without companions.

Draco's face split into a huge grin as another human bounced into view. This boy was much taller and bigger than Draco's first guest, and his hair was such a scarlet red that Draco found it hard to resist touching it.

"Harry, why did you run off like that?!" the new boy said in between gasps for air.

Draco grinned. Harry, it was such a simple name. Simple yet charming.

"Harry" didn't respond immediately. Instead, he crouched down to study the ground. Draco realized what he was doing and panicked.

"Ron," Harry said to his friend, "look at this!"

Ron followed Harry's index finger and saw flattened grass. "Are you sure you didn't step on this yourself?"

Harry rolled his eyes. "No, of course not, I'm wearing boots. This track is smooth, the grass are bent very slightly so the person who made these tracks was probably very light in weight. I'm telling you, Ron, I saw someone running past... someone with long, blond hair. I think it was girl."

Draco pouted at such a suggestion. So it was true that he didn't see much sun in his childhood, but all Elves had long hair. He was fully male, thank you very much.

Ron snickered. "And I thought you weren't into girls, Harry."

Draco nodded his consent. Such a beautiful boy should not be kept for the opposite gender. Harry just rolled his eyes in a very annoyed manner. He stood up and swept another looking over the trees. "I just hope whoever she was she wouldn't run pass the Marked Rock.... Where's Blaise?"

Ron looked behind them and shrugged. "Bloody coward probably left. And it was his idea to come into the forest at night too."

"My parents would never give me permission to come in here anyway. I've wanted to do some hunting for a long time. And don't tell me you haven't wanted to try this, Ron."

"Whatever." He scoffed with a blush. "Want some food?"

It was then Draco noticed that Ron carried a knapsack instead of weapons. Harry grinned widely and accepted an apple from Ron's hands. The two friends sat down shoulder-to-shoulder against the tree trunk. Draco crouched very still, hoping to find out more about their world through their conversation before they left.

When the two boys were done with their apples, they stood up and prepared to leave. Draco glanced at them forlornly, not wanting them to go but found no way to keep them there without revealing himself.

It was then that a white light came from their left and five Elven scribes stepped out from the magical barrier. Draco was the first to notice them and was very tempted to push them back into the safe Elven realm. But the scribes would recognize him as the young Malfoy heir, and Draco did not want his parents to find out about his little trip.

Harry and Ron were still safely obscured by the darkness of the trees so the scribes did not see them immediately. The light from their ethereal glow, however, was hard to ignore, even for humans. It didn't take long for Ron's crude exclamation to echo across the surrounding foliage.

The five scribes fell into a panic right away. They certainly had not expected their evening to go so wrong. Draco remained in his spot and watched agitatedly as the Elves scrambled around, shouting commands to each other in a language that the humans couldn't possibly understand.

Draco didn't know who fired first, but he knew trouble had arrived when Ron suddenly fell to the ground clutching his left shoulder and howling with pain. Draco gathered his wits quickly and saw with disgust at the sight of an enchanted twig which had impaled Ron's flesh. Elves did not carry weapons, but they had the power to manipulate their surroundings. Biting his bottom lip, Draco had to grip the trunk tightly as to not jump down to Ron's rescue. Sometimes, he hated his own race. Ron and Harry seemed like good people; certainly any misunderstandings could be resolved with the appropriate words.

A rain of sharp twigs was fired their way. Draco hid himself well behind the trunk so he was not worried about his own safety. Harry, however, was in a panicked state as he dragged Ron's larger body away from the onslaught. In the process, Harry himself was punctured twice on the legs and scraped once on the side. Ron was pierced again through the stomach and the redhead fainted from the pain.

Draco's throat suddenly felt very tight. He had to do something!

By then, most of the scribes had scrambled back to the other side of the barrier, leaving only one old scribe behind to cast spells. Through the Elves' last exchanges, Draco understood with horror that they had not intended for Harry and Ron to leave the forest alive. "They saw us," one of them had said. "They cannot live."

Harry had now stored Ron's body safely behind an oak tree, away from the direct path of the Elf's projectiles. Crouching lowly behind a boulder, Harry took out an arrow from his quiver, steadied it upon his long bow, and fired. At the same time, the Elf had exchanged twigs for rocks. Just as Harry's arrow went through the Elf's chest, a rock knocked soundly against Harry's head. Emerald eyes rolled back as the lithe body hit the ground. On the opposite side of the battlefield, the Elf fell unto the grass, his flesh dissolved into thin air.

Draco bit back a choked sob at the pain that suddenly pervaded his heart. Whenever an Elf died, the rest of the Elven community would immediately feel such a pain. The community was connected tightly this way, though it was rare for an Elf to die without first living through several hundred years.

But Draco pushed back the pain. All he could think about was green eyes, glimmering with determination, then suddenly fading, becoming lifeless.

He let go of his hold on the tree and dropped onto the ground softly. As deft as a trained hunter, Draco abridged his distance from the two fallen boys, cast a mild painless sleep spell on Ron and healed his wounds to the best of his ability. Then he moved toward Harry, heart racing at their proximity. Draco checked Harry's head wound gingerly, brushing his fingers over the bump above a lightning shaped scar and smiled despite the grim situation.

So beautiful....

Draco murmured the healing spell and watched with satisfaction as the bump faded away. Curly lashes fluttered as Harry came back to the world of the conscious. Mesmerized, Draco took off his spectacles, wanting to see whether the green would be even more deviant without the glass veils.

They were.

Draco began to hum a magical song of healing, knowing that his voice alone would suffice to heal the other wounds on Harry. The human boy lay groggily on his lap, hazy emerald orbs stared into silver with mild fascination. Draco chuckled at the possible thoughts that could be running through Harry's scrambled head.

Slowly, a rough finger came up and traced a cool trail down Draco's cheek. The blond turned his cheeks to nip at the tip of Harry's finger, an Elven way of signaling that he accepted Harry's offer of friendship. Draco then giggled and leaned down to nudge both of Harry's cheeks with his nose. Elves tended to show affection with actions rather than with words, but even though Draco's actions were the very standard greeting methods, skin to skin contact with Harry somehow made him feel oddly giddy.

He had wanted to stay longer, to maybe help Harry and Ron back to their village. It wouldn't be long before the Elves sent someone to avenge the scribe's death, and he didn't want Harry to die, no matter how loyal he felt to his community.

Draco let Harry's head drop to the undergrowth gently before standing up to collect Ron. However, his chance was ruined when a set of undeniably human footsteps came close to the clearing.

"Harry? Ron?" the stranger yelled. But by then, Draco had already crossed over the barrier. From the other side, he watched sadly as a black-haired boy caressing Harry's cheeks with a loving hand. Behind him, the Elven kingdom was already in chaos. Draco looked around and followed a more secretive track back to his home.

***

Draco found out the next day that when Elven emissaries were sent out, they could not find the human boys. What they did find, however, was the dead scribe's clothes and talisman. It wasn't everyday that an Elf, and such a respectable one at that, died in the hands of a human. The community was in mourning for days, each vowed to avenge the Elf's death.

But Draco didn't mourn at all. His mind was far away, passed the magical barrier, and trapped within the emerald gaze of a human boy named Harry. He longed to look into Harry's eyes again, to feel the silky skin beneath his touch, brush ink-black hair away from a marred forehead. He wanted to sing for Harry again, hum a song of joy instead of healing, please the boy and hear the strong tenor voice ring around the trees in laughter.

However, Draco would not be leaving anytime soon. After the Elf's death, security had tightened and no one knew when anyone could leave the barrier again. No new talisman was made. Draco became depressed and desperate.

Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy observed their son with despair. They had done everything possible to shield their boy from outside harm, but even then, Draco was clearly becoming very sick. His milky skin was turning into a shade of sickly yellow, his mercury eyes now a dull grey and even his magic had decreased due to this unknown sickness. They gathered the best healers they could find but none could heal Draco's depression. Finally, Lucius called upon the favor of an old acquaintance: Severus Snape.

Severus Snape was not a standard Elf. For one, he was only a half-Elf. His mother had run into the human realm one day and never returned. After fifteen years, the barrier opened up to let in a black-haired boy with pointy ears. Severus usually lived in isolation, for he loathed the way the full-blood Elves would stare at his black hair whenever he ventured out. Lucius Malfoy was young when he met Severus one day by chance in a dark corner of the market. The two exchanged civil words, and years later, while they could not be called friends, Lucius was perhaps the person who Severus spoke to the most.

Severus made a business for himself brewing potions for other Elves. When healing spells failed them, it was Severus that they turned to. Lucius had confidence that his old acquaintance would give them an explanation.

So a month after Draco met Harry, Severus Snape was found to be sitting next to the ailing boy's bed, the room was bare except for themselves.

Severus took one look at Draco's expression and said without hesitation, "You're in love with a human...."

Draco's eyes gained a light that hadn't been seen for the past month. He stared into the half-Elf's beady black eyes and shivered. "How did..."

"My mother told me about this. She had a... impish nature as a young woman and constantly escaped to see the human village. It was there that she met my father. From then on, she could not focus on living and thought constantly of him. So, pray tell, young Malfoy, how did you manage to run off to human villages when your parents had taken such extreme measure to keep you confined within these walls?"

Draco gulped. Severus' face broke into a roguish smirk before an odd chuckle escaped his vocals. "You owe me no explanations, Draco. Who am I to judge your actions when my own mother had fallen slave to such childish impulses? But now, young Malfoy, you must make a decision. If you continue to stay within these boundaries without your love, you would die. And your human cannot enter the barrier unharmed. Not unless he has some Elven blood in him, but I doubt that is the case."

Draco kept silent and shook his head. No, Harry had felt very human; there wasn't a trace of Elf in him. He quickly reached up to grab Severus' sleeve and opened his mouth to plead for help. He needed to go meet Harry, but he needed a talisman.

Severus put up a palm. There was dourness in his eyes that told Draco perhaps this half-Elf understood better than anyone could've. Severus stood up and sighed.

"I'll come back tomorrow, young Malfoy. I have a cure to permanently solve your problems. But be forewarned, there will be consequences."

Draco nodded with determination. There was nothing in the world -- neither Elven nor human -- that could keep him from finding Harry again.

Severus had come back a day later as promised with his hands tucked away in his pockets. Unlike other Elves, Severus didn't wear the usual toga, and instead opted for robes. Once he was left alone with his patient, he took out a flask of dark purple potion and, to Draco's surprise and shock, a talisman.

"I used to ask your father for a large supply of these because most of my potions require dark herbs which cannot grow within the barrier. And this," he pointed at the flask, "is a potion that will take away everything Elven about you. If you drink this, young Malfoy, you will become human. My mother had escaped to the human world unprepared, but she was lucky that my father so readily accepted her. After father's death, however, her fate became grim. If you do not wish to suffer the same prejudices, drink this potion once you're out of the barrier."

Draco eyed the potion hungrily. It was everything that he'd ever wanted. He could escape this prison forever, join Harry in the human world and live as a mortal, grow old, and die by Harry's side.

Draco reached out to grab it but Severus took it away.

"Like I said yesterday, there are consequences. Are you willing to face the costs?"

The blond nodded.

"First of all, this potion is made from entirely dark material, and if an Elf ingests it, it will work but will also cause some serious harm to your body. For one, you will lose your voice permanently. You will see your love but you will not be able to express your feelings vocally. And seeing how all Elves are trained to only speak the human tongue but not to write it, there will be no way for you to communicate."

Draco's expression sobered a little. His voice was something that kept him from loneliness as a child, something that he was proud of. Draco was one of the few Elves in existence that could heal someone using only a song. But sacrifice his voice would mean being with Harry forever. So what if he couldn't speak, he can still hear Harry's voice, and that was all that mattered.

And so Draco gave his consent.

"Second, the potion will forever remain a poison within your body, coursing through your veins, under your very skin. Any skin contact with a person will give you pain, like a sharp blade, not deep enough to bleed, but fierce enough so the pain will remain even after the touch is gone. This part, Draco, will be the most difficult for you to face."

Draco didn't hesitate. He was not afraid of any pain as long as he was free to touch Harry's skin once more.

"Then take these with you, and remember, drink the potion only after you're outside the barrier. And you will not be able to return to this realm after you become human, or the barrier will dissolve you into nothingness.

"Good luck, young Malfoy."

Severus was gone before Draco could even say thank you.

***

Draco didn't pack anything that night. The mere thought of seeing Harry again brightened him up, and his parents were convinced that Severus had healed him. Lucius and Narcissa left Draco alone that night, thinking that he needed rest in order to fully recover.

Draco followed his escape route, running as if his very life depended on it, and before he knew it, the barrier was upon him. The talisman hummed with Elven magic, the wall shimmered and opened up. Draco was back in the forest.

He took the flask which was tied to the waist of his toga and downed the content in one gulp. The potion burned away at the back of his throat, so fiercely that Draco could do nothing except fall down in pain, unable to scream. The world closed in on him.

***

Draco woke up in a strange bed and a strange body. He was certain that someone must've stuffed cloth into his ears and wrapped something around his eyes for he could not see anything beyond darkness and hear nothing except his own shallow breathing.

He yawned again and called for his servant. But as his mouth opened to form the words, no sound came. It was then that he remembered his decision and Severus' words.

Draco sat up and looked around excitedly, finally realizing that his eyes weren't covered because he could see a dim candlestick a few feet away. It was just that his now human eyes could not tune to see in the dark, and his ears were no longer capable of Elven hearing. He tentatively reached up to touch his own ears and grinned widely when he didn't feel a pointy tip.

A sharp creak sounded from Draco's right, and a second candle came into view.

"Ah, you're awake." Draco gaped at the familiar voice. The candle shook as the dark figure behind it walked in and shut the door. It was Harry! "Gave me quite a scare."

The bespectacled boy took up seat on a chair next to the bed.

"I couldn't sleep and decided to check up on you, but you're awake! You have no idea how relieved I am. When I found you there in the forest I was both happy and horrified. I knew I saw someone that night," Harry's blush was evident even in the dim lighting, "I just didn't realize that you were a boy, you know, what with your long hair and all. But hey, now I've found you and took you back to civilization, mind telling me why you were living inside the very dangerous Forbidden Forest? Were you abandoned as a child? You look clean, but a bit malnourished. I can't imagine berries and ferrets would make a good meal." Harry blushed again. "Gods, I'm babbling again, aren't I? Ron says I do that when I'm nervous. Ron's my best friend, the one who didn't believe me when I told him that I saw you that night. So imagine the look on his face when I brought you back!"

Draco watched on with adoration as Harry continued to speak, hands flying everywhere as he gestured his words. There was a shyness and mirth in those rare green eyes which were not apparent the first time they met. Draco sadly pondered about Harry's reaction once he found out that Draco could not even produce a grunting sound.

He prayed that Harry would never stop talking.

"...So it was a really weird incident that night. If it weren't for the scars on my legs and the fact that Ron and I remember the same things, I would've passed it off as a dream. Can't really remember much after getting knocked out... Next thing I knew, Blaise had me over his shoulder and my wounds had closed up. Blaise is my.... Ah, I must sound like an idiot, talking about myself without the proper introductions. I'm Harry Potter, by the way." Harry held out an arm. "What's your name?"

Draco's eyes had widened greatly during Harry's rant. Didn't Harry recognize him as the one who healed him? His eyes had been opened at the time; his finger had even reached up to caress Draco's face. The blond Elf would never forget that sensation. With hidden sorrow, Draco grabbed Harry's fingers, only to pull back at the sudden pain that shrouded his physical senses.

Severus hadn't been lying about the potion. Though not very harsh, the pain was certainly sharp and suddenly. Even after he drew away, Draco's skin burned due to the unseen cuts. He cradled his hand in his chest, massaging the prickling digits with a grimace, and did not see the slightly horrified look on Harry's face.

"Oh, gods, are you still hurt? I'll call a healer, don't move!"

Draco opened his mouth to say "no", only to find himself unable to make the lightest of syllables. Just as Harry was picking up the candlestick, he grabbed Harry's sleeve in desperation and was relieved to find that cloth to skin didn't harm him.

"No, it won't take long. His chamber is right down the hall."

Draco shook his head with fervor, not wanting Harry to leave him so soon. With Harry's attention fully on his face, he mouthed in what he knew to be the human tongue, "I'm fine, please don't go yet."

Harry set the candlestick back onto the nightstand and slumped into his chair in shock.

"You can't speak?"

Draco shook his head again.

Emerald eyes narrowed with great sadness. A familiar finger drew lightly across Draco's throat, leaving immense twinges in its trail. But Draco held still, blocked out the aches, and tried to savor Harry's skin on his.

"What's your name? Can you write it down?"

Draco shook his head again. All high-class Elves knew how to speak the human tongue, but their writing was lost to them. He could easily write in the language of the Elves, though no one here would be able to read it.

Harry sighed deeply. "Do you have a name?"

A nod.

"So I guess you won't be able to tell me..."

A shake of denial.

"Ah... What should I call you then?"

Draco raised a fine eyebrow in query.

Harry smiled gently. "I can't very well send you back to the forest. My parents own this land; they'll let you stay in my wing if I ask. Don't worry; I won't make you perform physical labor, you look too frail for that. Why don't you rest tonight, and I'll move you to another quarter tomorrow. I'll bring Ron and Blaise around too so you can meet them."

Draco's eyes dimmer at Harry's words. He didn't want the green-eyed boy to leave him tonight; he didn't want Harry to leave him, ever. Even though he wasn't sure if he had breached human décor, Draco could not help it as he reached out to grasp Harry's blouse again. The memories of the last few days rushed back to him, and Draco began to doubt wonder whether it was worth losing everything he had ever had, losing himself. Yes, he had gotten to Harry very easily, would be accepted as a human, but then there was the pain that would forever prevent him from touching Harry's beautiful skin, and his inability to directly communicate with his love.

His head drooped down as bitter tears unwillingly found their way out. Harry crouched down worriedly and placed his hands upon Draco's shoulders, the later was grateful that his toga was in the way so he did not feel any unnecessary pain.

"Hey, hey, don't cry. You don't want to stay here, is that it? You want to go back to the forest? I won't keep you, you know, if you insist on leaving."

The blond shook his head hurriedly and without a second thought, dove into Harry's open arms. He rested his head against Harry's chest and wrapped his bare arms around Harry's clothed waist. Harry's arms automatically wrapped around his shoulders, a gentle hand smoothed out his back.

"I get it, I get it. You won't leave here, not while I'm still prince of Gryffindor. I found you, you're my friend now, and I'll keep you around for as long as possible. You'll have your free will though, so you can leave whenever you want."

Draco nodded through his silent sobs, hugging Harry close, not believing that he had found happiness at last.

"We still have a problem though. I still don't have a name for you," said Harry bemusedly.

Draco sat back up and wiped his face. He couldn't remember the last time he had cried in front of someone. Elven tears were full of magical properties, so it was unethical and dangerous for an Elf to cry whenever they wished. As a human, his tears were nothing but moist and salty.

He gestured with his hands for a quill and paper. Harry looked at him, confused, but opened the bedside drawer and rummaged around before finding the needed objects. Draco took the quill from him but found no ink left in it. Annoyed, he placed the parchment against the stone wall and began to press down the quill as hard as he could while he sketched. After a while, he handed the parchment back to Harry and smiled as recognition flooded the young man's face.

"It's a dragon! Is that your name? Dragon?"

Draco mentally rolled his eyes. It was a crude version, but it would have to do. He nodded and smiled along with Harry.

"Dragon... wow, compared to you, my name sounds so... plebian...."

Draco grinned indulgently. A moment of silence passed through them and Harry eventually got up to leave. Draco immediately panicked and grabbed his sleeve again.

Harry looked back at Draco's hand and groaned. "Dragon, I'm actually very exhausted. I'll come back tomorrow, I promise. But I really have to get some sleep. I still have duties to fulfill tomorrow."

The blond pouted. As a last attempt to keep Harry with him, he rubbed his hand against his stomach and gestured a motion with his other hand which suggested eating.

"Oh, you're hungry?!" Harry's eyes sparkled. "Lucky for you, I tend to get hungry at night so there are always cooks on duty. I'll just go to the kitchen for a bit.... Can you let go now?"

Draco withdrew his hand quickly, embarrassed at his abnormal attachment to Harry. The other boy just laughed good-naturedly before patting Draco on the head. Apparently, Draco's hair served as insulation so the touch didn't hurt.

That night Harry had come back with a tray full of the best dishes his cooks could offer. Draco devoured the meal hungrily. Harry told stories as Draco ate, about how lonely his childhood was until Ron's family moved into the castle due to Mrs. Weasley's job as cook, about how Blaise came into their life a year later and was the perfect balance to Ron's boisterousness. He had looked at Draco with compassion at one point and expressed his sympathy and understanding for Draco's own life. He also made a few more attempts to leave that night, but were all deterred by Draco's unrelenting fingers and a rather adorable pout. Finally, Harry gave in as the sun came up and climbed into bed next to Draco. The two boys fell asleep with two mere inches separating their bodies.

***

The next day Draco woke up to find the right side of the bed devoid of Harry's warm body. Before he could panic, however, a head of black hair poked in through the door and Harry entered with Ron behind him. The redhead gaped at Draco's figure cautiously as he moved forward to introduce himself.

"Hi, I'm Ron Wealsey, Harry's friend. So... you're Dragon, eh?"

Draco scooted back a little and nodded shyly. He hadn't minded the other boy that night, but he also didn't realize how huge Ron really was. He easily towered over Harry by a head and his biceps were clearly visible through his shirt.

"Er... nice to meet you." Ron stepped forth again to shake Draco's hand. Draco stared at the freckled appendage warily. He wasn't going to bring more pain onto himself, so be it if he seemed rude, he wasn't going to touch anymore other than Harry.

"Um... Harry?"

Harry just chuckled before circling around the bed to sit on Draco's other side. He reached up and draped the bed cover over Draco's shoulders as to protect him from the early spring chill.

"Ron won't hurt you. He's actually here to help move you to your room. The healer said you shouldn't walk by yourself, and you're actually a bit bigger than me, so Ron volunteered to help carry you into your new room."

The redhead flashed a silly grin. "It's my way of saying sorry for not believing in your existence."

They both clearly expected Draco to give in at this point. But instead, the blond just scooted further into Harry's embrace. He didn't want anyone to touch him except for Harry.

"Dragon," Harry pleaded, "please don't be so stubborn. I can't carry you."

Draco wouldn't let go.

Ron took a step forward and poked Harry on the shoulder. "Oi, why don't you try carrying him, mate? He doesn't look very heavy, probably even lighter than you are."

Harry sighed exasperatedly and lifted Draco's upper body with one hand why he wrapped the sheet around Draco's bottom half. With Draco's body completely covered, he took the blonde's legs into his other arm and lifted Draco off the bed rather easily.

Harry frowned as he carried Draco out. A ghostly breath of air traced over Draco's ear, "You're too light, Dragon, I'll have to fatten you up a bit."

The two boys spent that entire day in Draco's room, filling him in on all the secret passages within the castle, told him about all the interesting characters who worked there. Apparently Ron was the youngest son in a family of six boys and one girl and was engaged to a girl from his old country. As they spoke of Ron's imminent marriage, Draco had dozed off and wondered if it was possible for Harry and him to marry. Ron had teased Harry once about not liking girls, and if Harry was the future prince of the country, then he should be able to make his own laws.

Draco was confined to his bed day after day, but this time, he didn't mind at all. Harry nearly spent every waking hour (and some sleeping hours) with him, telling him stories about his life and those around him. And when he had princely duties to fulfill, Ron was always there to keep him company.

Being around Ron without Harry present was awkward, but the redhead seemed to like to talk a lot. And since Ron was from another country, he had tons more stories to tell. He brought Draco artifacts too, things that he bought during his family's travels. So even though Draco never set a foot outside his room, he was never bored. Over time, he became afraid of the world outside. His safe haven consisted of Harry and Ron, and he had no reasons to leave.

There was one person who Harry and Ron spoke of the most: Blaise Zabini. Draco had never actually met him, and Harry explained that it was because Zabini was away purchasing things in preparation of something. This "something" was like a taboo topic in their conversations. Ron would often bring it up, then Harry would blush and change the subject in an entirely unsubtle way.

Draco longed to meet Blaise, for Harry spoke very highly of him. He was supposedly the anti-Ron, always calm and composed, dependable (this caused a very vocal objection from the redhead), reasonable, and polite to all classes of people.

As the days went on, Harry spent less and less time in Draco's room. It was obvious that he left Ron specific instructions to not tell Draco of his whereabouts, since Ron now had the habit of switching topics (not very subtly either). But when he thought Draco wasn't looking, he would occasionally send the blond a regretful look, a frown that always drove Draco crazy because he couldn't understand why Ron pitied him.

Draco's happiness lasted exactly four months.

Draco woke up that morning per usual. He yawned, made his way to an adjoined toilet to wash up, and climbed back into bed to await his breakfast and Harry's arrival. Even on Harry's busiest days he made an effort to visit Draco first thing in the mornings.

That day, Harry didn't show up. Ron made a quick appearance to bring in Draco's meals, but he had also quickly disappeared.

Draco stayed awake very late into the night, wondering what he did wrong to chase Harry away, and when the black-haired boy would return.

Harry didn't come the next day either. Ron, however, spent the entire day with him, not even stepping out for meals. He also brought Draco a gift -- black breeches and a white blouse, very similar to the ones that Harry wore on the night they all met. He winked and told Draco to put them on the next morning.

Harry didn't appear for a third morning in a row. Draco had dressed in his new clothes like Ron said to but the redhead hadn't come either to see the results. The meals that day were brought in by a strange woman who didn't even look at Draco.

The blond was fully ready to sink back into despair that evening when the door creaked open to reveal a very smartly dressed Harry.

Draco nearly fell off his bed in excitement as he ran to embrace Harry. The other boy's familiar heat spread through his sleep-deprived body. The bare skin of their middle touched but Draco just pressed in further, unable to pull away despite the pain. Harry cradled him tightly and murmured words of apologies into his ears.

"I'm sorry, Dragon," Harry said, "Blaise came back two days ago and the entire castle is being decorated for the event. I was so busy that I didn't come visit you. Forgive me?"

Draco nodded urgently. How could he not forgive Harry when he begged in such a desperate tone? He missed Harry oh-so-much.

Soft lips found their way toward Draco's temple. The sensation was one of mixed pleasure and pain. While Draco's heart soared at the affectionate action, it wasn't enough to distract him from the cutting sting on his skin.

"Ron told me how miserable you became, so I emptied my schedule to spend a night with you." Harry said as he kissed Draco again, on the cheek this time. "So how about it, spend a night with me gazing the stars? There's no moon tonight, so the stars should be exceptionally bright. You never even left the room; some fresh air will be good for you."

Harry grasped Draco's hand and led him out into the corridor. Draco focused his eyes on Harry's twinkling irises and ignored his slowly numbing fingers. It felt like a million razors were simultaneously cutting into his flesh. Draco was surprised that the phantom pain hadn't caused real blood to flow.

"This way, Dragon." Harry tugged gently. "Only Ron, Blaise and I know about this passage. It'll lead us right onto the roof of the castle."

Draco did not note the way they were going, only the fact that he was with Harry. As the hallways twisted and turned and led toward winding staircases, all that registered in Draco's mind was that Harry didn't hate him, that Harry still liked him... maybe even loved him.

A trap door opened up on the low ceiling and wooden stairs appeared. Harry climbed up first and Draco followed happily. The late summer air was still warm, even at night.

Harry walked around the bare rooftop a bit and settled down against a large niche in the wall. He waved Draco over and pulled the boy down so he sat between Harry's legs.

"Relax, lean back," Harry told him, and Draco followed wordlessly. His breathing was become increasingly haggard; blood rushed to his head and caused him to faint. Harry was right; it wasn't very healthy for him to stay so long indoors.

"Dragon, are you feeling sick?"

Draco leaned back against Harry's solid chest and shook his head. He just wanted to gaze at the stars with Harry's chin atop his head, his fingers rubbing circles over Draco's palm, leaving unseen gashes as they went.

The stars were especially welcoming that night. Harry ran off a list of constellations in his head and Draco had pinched him when he said "Draco".

"Draco... is that what you were named after?"

Said boy nodded. It was the first time that Harry had said his name, his real name! He poked Harry's arm, gesturing for him to repeat the syllables. After spending four months with the boy, Harry had picked up on Draco's hand signals and he happily repeated the blonde's real name.

Draco snuggled impossibly deep into Harry's chest, squirming ever so slightly, causing the young prince to chuckle with amusement. Draco didn't know what came over him, but he felt the need for more contact, no matter how much pain it would cause him....

Draco turned around and kissed Harry full on the mouth.

Harry's chuckled died on his lips; his entire body froze at Draco's initiated kiss. Draco moved his mouth slightly, his heart pounding unbearably loud inside of his. He clutched Harry's arms tightly, begging Harry with all that he had to not pull away, to give him this kiss. Even as the invisible knives cut his lips over and over again, he would not, could not give up. Nothing else mattered, not if Harry loved him.

Harry seemed to understand this. After what seemed to be like eternity, Harry's warm lips pushed back.

The kiss was soft and sweet, filled with the purest of loves. All too soon, Harry pulled away. Draco almost wept at the loss, but was placated as Harry's arms wrapped around him in an inhumanly tight embrace. Draco hugged back, sobs of happiness climbed up his lungs. Harry kissed him back, Harry loved him, Harry was going to keep him....

"Dragon... Draco... I'm sorry. I'm getting married to Blaise tomorrow."

And Draco's perfect world collapsed around him.

Draco pulled his body away but Harry seemed unwilling to let him go without a fight. He clutched Draco's waist tightly and begged, his voice pained and rushed.

"Listen to me, Dragon, please. I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry. I didn't know, I didn't know you felt that way. I thought you wanted a friend, a companion, and I thought I could be that for you, like Ron was for me when he first moved here. Blaise has loved me for a long time. He proposed five months ago, when he rushed into the forest and found both Ron and I half-dead. He took me back and proposed. If it weren't -- Dragon, listen! -- If it weren't for Blaise, I would probably be nothing but bones right now, long devoured by the beasts in the forest. He saved my life, and we've been friends for so long, I said yes and I haven't regretted it until now.

"Dragon, please, don't cry. I can't bear to see you cry. I care about you so much, and I won't take back my promise. I'll keep you safe within these walls for the rest of our lives. I love Blaise, but that doesn't mean I don't love you any less. I've saved your life and Blaise saved mine, you must understand the obligations I feel toward him. You'll be happy, Draco, I know you will. You'll find someone who will love you forever, and you have no idea how much I hate the fact that I can't be that 'someone' for you. I want to, I really, really do."

Draco had never missed his voice so much until now. He wanted to shout, to scream to the heavens so loudly that the entire world would know that it was him who healed Harry's wounds; it was him who sang Harry back to health. Blaise Zabini was just there to take him home because Draco was unable to do so. It was him who loved Harry unconditionally; it was him who Harry should be marrying....

Oh gods... tomorrow, Harry was getting married tomorrow. That was their big event, their reason for celebration. No wonder Ron had looked at him with such sympathizing eyes, he must've known that Draco's feelings toward Harry were passed those of brotherly or friendly love. He brought up Draco's depression to Harry and allowed him one last night with the bespectacled prince.

Draco couldn't remember how long he stayed there that night with Harry's arms around him just crying without a sound. He ended up back in his bed somehow. When the sun came up at dawn and Draco woke from a nightmare, Harry was still there.

Ron came and brought their meals. At the look on their faces, the redhead was wise enough to leave without a single word. Their breakfast remained untouched.

The wedding was to be held in the afternoon. All morning long, the boisterous cheers permeated through the walls of Draco's room and he wanted to dive under his pillows and suffocate himself just to block out the sounds.

At noon, the door creaked open to admit a person who Draco never wanted to see. Blaise Zabini strolled in confidently and gave Harry a hug from behind. From the corner of Draco's eyes, he was able to see Harry relax immediately into the tall man's embrace, as if Blaise's mere presence was enough to take away some of the tension.

Blaise greeted Draco next. He had probably heard about Draco's disinclination to touch others and did not offer a hand. Instead he said with a very gentle smile, "Nice to meet you, Dragon. My name is Blaise, and I've heard so much about you from Harry. He just wouldn't stop talking about you, not even in his letters to me while I was out purchasing things for our wedding. You should hear the praises he sang about you. There wasn't a conversation that went between us without him telling me how wonderful it would've been to have a little brother just like you."

And Draco broke.

He didn't quite hear the rest of Blaise's speech, nor did he respond when Harry told him an hour later that he had to leave and get dressed. Ron came by once, said something Draco neglected to catch. Draco didn't go down to the wedding that was held in the courtyard, just sat there as the sun went down, sat there as the last ray of his life dissolved away.

Hours later, the celebration finally died down and Draco was left with a bleak hollowness inside his chest. In the dead of the night, his door creaked open and a bright lighted figure walked in.

Draco turned his head and saw without much reaction the shape of his father, once proud and regal now worn and old. The Elven blond hair that Lucius was once so proud of had been cropped so short that he was almost bald. Lucius dashed forward and shut the door behind him. In his left hand he carried a flask half filled with a light yellow liquid, in his right, a dagger that had been passed on from one Malfoy male to another.

"Son, my dear Draco... what have the humans done to you?" Lucius reached out to touch him but held himself. "Severus told us after we searched everywhere. We almost pleaded the High One to exile him for giving you that potion, but your mother came to her senses and realized that he was the only one who could bring you back again.

"This potion has just been finished, Draco. It contains the magical essence of your mother's and my hair. But our Elven essences cannot fully bring you back. The only way is for you to take another Elf's essence, an Elf who had already passed on, whose life source is still in this realm, but inaccessible until he is avenged.

"Draco, you've lived here for four moons, you must know who killed the scribe. Find the killer and cut open his heart, let his blood fill up the other half of the flask. Drink the potion, and you'll become an Elf again. Use the talisman that Severus gave you; you can still make one more trip across the barrier with it. Do this soon, my dear son, and return to us."

Draco heard his words and nodded in acknowledgement. Lucius took this as a good sign and left after a few more words of encouragement. It would all end tonight; the Malfoy family would reunite once again. After all, Draco knew all too well who the killer of the scribe was.

After Lucius' departure, Draco assessed the dagger for a long time, twiddling it between his fingers, testing the sharp blade with his flesh. It was enhanced with Elven magic and could cut through human flesh without much added outside force.

Draco climbed off the bed and undressed. He folded up his new clothes neatly and put them on the pillow. He then took out his old toga from the closet and wrapped it around himself. With the flask securely tucked away inside a flap, Draco set out toward Harry's bedroom.

He had never been there himself, but from the many stories Harry and Ron told him, he probably knew more about this castle than the oldest of servants. He found Harry's room easily, even took a shortcut that Ron had told him about.

Draco pushed open the unlocked door and followed Harry's familiar soft snores toward the bed. Behind green bed curtains, two naked figures were wrapped tightly around each other, limbs tangled in a comfortable fashion.

He grabbed a nearby bedpost and was determined not to faint.

He held the unsheathed blade over Harry's body and watched for one last time the fluttering lids which hid the world's most gorgeous pair of eyes. He traced a pale finger over Harry's forehead, brushed away dark fringes, and thought to himself with regret that he never did ask Harry where he got his scar from. He gazed unblinkingly at the pair of flushed lips that had given him some of the best memories of his life, told him stories about a world that he would never forget.

There was a time not long ago in which he thought as long as that pair of lips would speak to him everyday, life would be perfect.

Draco leaned down and gave Harry one last kiss, so soft and innocent that the slumbering young man would never notice. His eyes then traveled over to Blaise Zabini who held Harry tightly against him even in sleep and begged him to treasure what should've been his.

Reaching into his toga, Draco retrieved that carved sketch of a dragon that he did for Harry the first night he was there, the one that he always kept in his belongings. He put the drawing near Harry's black frames on the bedside table, placed his untainted dagger upon it, and walked out.

Draco faced no resistance as he exited the castle through another one of Ron and Harry's "secret passageways". Most of the guards were exhausted from a day of celebration.

He wasn't exactly sure where he was going, but his bared feet carried him onward, and after what seemed to be only a few minutes of walk, Draco found himself back in the forest where it all began.

The trail underfoot seemed well-worn by now. Many hunters must've followed this safe trail to hunt in the shallowest parts of the forest. Draco took out the yellow potion as he went, uncorked the flask, and poured the content unto the cracked undergrowth.

The rabbit's nest was now full with not just one, but seemingly dozens of newcomers. Draco looked at the familiar red eyes and wished the bunny best of luck with his new family.

As a human, Draco could no longer see the whiteness of the magical barrier, but he recognized the tree that he hid in as Harry ran into the clearing, the boulder that Harry hid behind as he killed an Elf with his arrow, and the moss-covered rock that he had rested on when he first came to this world of the mortals.

Draco stood upon that rock now, right hand stretched forward to feel the wall that he had been so interested with as a child. When the tip of his middle finger made contact, a thunderous pain spread throughout his body, and he watched with morbid fascination as his solid flesh began to dissolve into tiny, miniscule droplets. He felt himself coming apart, each limb going a different direction, drifting calmly into the open sky. His toga fell unto the grass but he continued to fly apart, slowly, gently, peacefully, freely....

And Draco had never felt more alive.

~ In your arms I lay ~

~ In your thoughts I stay ~

~ In your dreams I depart ~

~ In your heart there shall remain ~

~ A mark of you and me ~

- End